Switch and outlet box.



No. 'sa9,4|4. Patented Dec. 24, mm. m nosmsou. SWITCH AND OUTLET BOX.

(Application filed Oct. 28, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 689,4!4. Patenfed Dec. 24, mm.

. M. ROBINSON.

SWITCH AND OUTLET BOX.

(Application filed Oct. 28, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

\iZHEEEE-EH N FL/E 1 13 UNITED STATES ATENT MINER ROBINSON, OF NEWTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

SWITCH AND OUTLET BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,414, dated December24, 1901. Application filei October 28, 1901. Serial No. 80,295.(NomodeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MINER ROBINSON, of Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Switch, Outlet, and Receptacle Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention, as shown by the accompanying drawings, is toprovide certain improvements in switch, outlet, and receptacle boxes,especially where used in connection with flexible conduits, although byslight modification they may be adapted to rigid iron or other conduits.

At present it is customary to have holes either in the back or side ofthe body of the box for conduits to enter or thin partitions or pluggedholes are provided also in the main box, so arranged that when thepartitions or plugs are removed holes are left either in the back orside of the box proper. I have found the above arrangement impracticablefor various reasons. First, the flexible conduit is not securely held inplace, and, second, thefiexible conduitis liable to be either pulledthrough too far or get pushed back when installing the switch, therebyallowing the wire to come against the edges of the holes, and as theswitch usually takes up practically all of the space inside of the boxthere is no room for the conduit to enter the box only for a very shortdistance. Where the holes enter directly into the back of the box it isnecessary to have considerable depth in the partition in order to havethe conduit enter easily, as it is not convenient to bend the saidconduit on a very short radius. In order to overcome these and otherdefects, I have invented the form of construction hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 3 are perspectiveviews of modified forms of my improved rectangular box. Fig. 2 is avertical section on a: as, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show in rear view andcrosssection, respectively, my box when made in circular form.

Preferably on the back of the box A, I provide pockets B for theflexible conduit to enter, these pockets being outside the body of thebox proper, but communicating therewith, the hole I) through the pocketbeing of such a size as to form a snug fit for the flexible conduit.These pockets in communicating with the body of the box are preferablybent or curved, or at any rate so arranged as to receive the conduit notat right angles to the side or bottom of the box on which the projectionor pocket is made, but substantially parallel or slightly obliquelythereto should this be necessary to facilitate the drilling of theopenings in any of the pockets. The openings in the pockets are arrangedin the case of rectangular boxes to face either in opposite directions,as in Figs. 1 and 2, or in the same general direction, as in Fig. 3, orin the case of circular boxes radially, as in Figs. 4 and 5. Thesepockets securely hold the end of the flexible conduit from being pushedtoo far into the box, and as the flexible conduit is usually run to thenearest insulator, forming a slight bend as it enters the pocket, theside of the hole grips the conduit with withdrawn. The pockets might bearranged on either the side or the back of the box, though forconvenience of installation I place them on the back, as shown in thedrawings.

or partition-a box provided with pockets, as

shown in Fig. 1, could not be conveniently used. This is apparent forthe reason that the hole cut in the wall being of limited size would betoo small to allow a box with pockets arranged as in Fig. 1 or Fig. 4 tobe putin place after the flexible conduits had been inserted in morethan two pockets. In order to overcome this difficulty, I have provideda modified form of box in which all of the pockets B have their openingsb in the same direction or the same general direction as shown in Fig.3.

My object in slightly inclining two of the pockets, as shown in Fig. 3,is for convenience in drilling the holes I) bin the two lowerpocksufficient force to prevent it from being easily ets, theinclination being of such an angle as to allow the shank of the drill topass between the two upper pockets. This box can be readily inserted ina hole in the wall but little larger than itself, even though conduitshave been entered in all the pockets before it is pushed in place.

I consider the above invention a decided improvement in switch, outlet,and receptacle boxes for many reasons, among which are the following:There is much saving of labor in installing both box and switch, as itis not necessary to rearrange or trim the flexible conduit at the timeof installing the switch; the permitting of its use in extremely narrowpartitions; much shorter pieces-of conduit may be used from the nearestinsulator to the switch-box, as each pocket securely holds the end ofthe conduit, no matter how short; also, a saving of material, both inflexible conduit and wire, asboth conduit and wire may be cut at thetime of installing at exactly the right length, as there is no danger oftheir being pushed back or pulled out; also, the great facility affordedfor plugging up the openings in any unused pockets, as in the case of asingle-pole switch using but two pockets, as the pocket may be readilyfilled with any sealing material.

I am aware thatboxes have been constructed and are in use wherein metalprojections or thimbles are made attached directly to the side or bottomof the main body of the box and are arranged to receive conduits atright angles to the side or bottom of the box and with theirconduit-openings made straight, directly communicating with the mainbody of the box, and such I do not claim.

It is my intention to adapt this invention to rigid iron conduit as wellas flexible conduit and also to the several different styles and sizesof boxes known as gangs, where two or more switches, receptacles, &c.,are grouped under one plate;

While the form of construction as shown in the drawings admits only oneconduit into each pocket, the pockets could be constructed wide enoughto have openings for the en,- tering of two or more conduits in the samepocket.

Having now described my invention, what I claim isl. A switch,receptacle or outlet box provided with conduit-receiving pockets or projections protruding from the body of the box and communicatingtherewith, so arranged as to receive the conduit as it enters the pocketor projection substantially parallel to the side or bottom of the box onwhich the pocket or projection is made, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

2. A switch, receptacle or outlet box provided with bent or curvedconduit-receiving pockets or projections protruding from the body of thebox and communicating therewith whereby they conduit enters the pocketor projection parallel with or obliquely to the side or bottom of thebox upon which the pocket or projection is made, the openings in the boxbeing or" such size as to form a snug fit for entering the conduitsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

3. Aswitch, receptacle or outlet boxA provided with two or more bent orcurved conduit-receiving pockets B with their openings b facing in thesame general direction substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

MINER ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

GERTRUDE GUNTHER, OLGA O. WBBERG.

